Feeling stuck? Try 7 types of goals to increase personal and professional development
Alicia Raeburn
November 10th, 2022v • 7 min read
Summary
Goals are statements that describe a desired achievement. Put another way, goals define the details of your ambitions. They’re important in all aspects of your life and work, whether you want to improve your personal life or build professional skills. But because they’re used so differently, you need different types of goals for different accomplishments. For example, you can use short-term goals for project management, because this goal type is actionable and works best with task-based deliverables.
7 types of goals to move your personal and professional life forward
Here we’ve broken down seven types of goals into two categories: time-based goals and professional goals.Time-based goals are set on a timeline. They’re time-bound, with a start and an end date, though the actual time frame can vary quite a bit. Some time-based goals can help you achieve tasks next week, while others can be guiding principles throughout your life. Regardless, time-based goals always have a deadline, no matter how far away it is.
What’s the danger of setting too many goals?
Mostly, setting and achieving goals is a rewarding and positive experience. But there is a tipping point where too many goals can have a negative impact on you and your work. The effect of setting too many goals is similar to creating an overlong to-do list: it’s overwhelming. You want to strike a balance between adding enough goals that your work feels structured and not adding so much that it feels impossible to achieve them all. Plus, if you’re always chasing something, you won’t have the time and space to enjoy what you’ve already accomplished.
Goals for everyone
Neale Donald Walsch wrote that “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Goals help you push through and past your comfort zone, where you can grow and improve. Most of us will rely on a combination of these goal types to chase down dreams, build a better workplace, and discover how we operate best. If you’re new to goal setting, don’t worry. Just pick a goal type and get started. Goal setting and tracking can be tricky as your team grows. To keep projects on track, use a goal-setting system that scales with you and your work. Track and measure your goals in the same space you work, with Asana.
